Ralph Baxter

A chat with former Orrick chief Ralph Baxter about what's next for firms.

The legal industry is behind, but it doesn't have to be.

Discussing the evolving practice.

* Valparaiso celebrated earlier in the week after reaching an agreement to send its beleaguered law school to Middle Tennessee. Tennessee’s education officials have killed the idea of hosting another middling law school with extreme prejudice. [Chicago Tribune]

* Ninth Circuit judge displays deliberate ignorance in what appears to be a looming decision to keep college athletes out of court. [Courthouse News Service]

* Whenever you doubt the stupidity of humanity, remember people accused of global financial fraud tend to email each other explicit descriptions of what they’re doing. [Law360]

* Boies Schiller will act as special prosecutor in the Joe Arpaio appeal in what should be the easiest appellate layup ever. [The Recorder]

* Republican judge dismisses lawsuit against Republican politician. [Huffington Post]

* Jeff Sessions tells the Heritage Foundation that he doesn’t approve of this idea that courts might consider themselves some kind of “check” or “balance” on the executive branch. [National Law Journal]

* Ralph Baxter thinks Biglaw needs to change its business model to succeed. [American Lawyer]

* Biglaw’s about to get hit hard by an economic downturn. [Law.com]

* Looks like Ralph Baxter is announcing a run for congress this afternoon. [Am Law Daily]

* Dewey think a 4 year sentence sounds fair? [Law360]

* Judge calls fee request “attempted bank robbery.” This is why you never request fees while wearing a rubber Nixon mask and carrying a shotgun. [Law.com]

* Fascinating overview of the complex fight over Cravath’s efforts to block victims from getting previously produced discovery materials. [Litigation Daily]

* An interview with Ben Brafman, including a delightful explanation of why he has the hardest job in the world. [Coverage Opinions]

* California moving to limit access of federal immigration officials to those in the state court system. [The Recorder]

* What schools do the best job of placing AGs, SGs, United States Attorneys, and federal judges? The answer will absolutely not shock you at all. [Empirical SCOTUS]

The major dysfunctions and pivot points in today’s corporate legal services industry.

* “Gimmie an L!” Antitrust suit brought by Oakland Raiders cheerleaders dismissed. On the bright side, they’re all losing their jobs to a bunch of Vegas “dancers” soon anyway. [Litigation Daily]

* Cleary prevailed in the discrimination suit brought against it, but the real story here is a reminder that Trump made a dating show and now he has nuclear codes. [Law.com]

* Russian bank sues Buzzfeed over “Pissgate,” which is really more of a “Pissghazi.” [Courthouse News Service]

* The biggest 400 law firms in the country. Did we really need to go all the way to 400? [Law360]

* Speaking of accolades you didn’t think we needed, Wilmer Hale is the D.C. Litigation Department of the Year. [National Law Journal]

* Ralph Baxter is toying with a congressional run in West Virginia. So… somebody expects a 2018 Democratic wave. [Am Law Daily]

* How to reform the MDL process? Get more judges involved. [Corporate Counsel]

The alt.legal Innovation Awards are aimed at recognizing new and emerging companies that are shaking up the legal marketplace.

We are thrilled to announce the inaugural Above The Law alt.legal Innovation Awards, aimed at recognizing new and emerging companies that are shaking up the legal marketplace.

Columnists Joe Borstein and Ed Sohn launch the alt.legal podcast with a special guest: Ralph Baxter, former chairman and CEO of Orrick.

Law firm mergers are often bad ideas; if you're going to do one, do it right.

Is the United States too litigious a nation?

Davis Polk lands a big-name lateral with major government experience, while Paul Hastings and Orrick raid rivals for talent.

Just because you're in management doesn't mean you're safe from layoffs.

Orrick has announced its next chairman. The successor to the estimable Ralph Baxter is quite high-powered -- and youthful, too....

The future of Biglaw is in Wheeling, West Virginia...

* Global agribusiness group Monsanto Co was awarded $1 billion in a patent infringement case against DuPont for improperly duplicating some kind of crazy seed technology. [New York Times]
* For particularly thick-headed employers who don’t understand it’s a bad idea to ask employees for Facebook passwords, now Illinois will fine them $200 for doing so. [Chicago Tribune]

* A federal judge in Washington sanctioned well-known plaintiff’s attorney Joy Ann Bull for filing grossly inflated fee statements. She was consequently asked to resign her partnership at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd. Welcome to the breadline! [LegalNewsline]

* Should a trial judge who is a Brooklyn Law grad recuse himself from a case against Brooklyn Law filed by Brooklyn Law alumni? Meh… [National Law Journal]

* As Ralph Baxter nears retirement, who will be chosen to lead Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe? [Am Law Daily]

* The Ninth Circuit already issued an injunction against Arizona’s new late-term abortion ban. Like they say, it’s all about shakin’ hands and killing kissin’ babies. [Denver Post]

There was no rational foundation to do [the spring bonuses]. It was not as if suddenly all the law firms in The Am Law 100 were minting money. — Ralph Baxter, longtime chairman and CEO of Orrick (shortly before he was overheard screaming at the Wheeling career associates to mint more money).

Today’s New York Times has a front-page story by Catherine Rampell entitled At Well-Paying Law Firms, a Low-Paid Corner. The article focuses on the phenomenon of “career associates” or “permanent associates” at large law firms. These lawyers are not eligible for partnership consideration and earn less than traditional associates, but they do enjoy a better […]

Well, that was fast. Last week we learned of preliminary merger discussions taking place between Akin Gump and Orrick. But this morning, spokespersons for each firm released the following joint statement (which differed only in which firm’s name came first): [The firms] have mutually agreed to conclude preliminary discussions regarding the possibility of a merger. […]